Some Cool Flash Drives You Can Buy for Transferring Your Files

File backups…the bane of computing,right? Well, you’ve gotta use something, don’t you? You can use another folder or partition on your hard drive, or use an external hard drive. Or burn those files onto a CD or DVD. You can even back them up onto an old floppy disk [snicker, snicker], or a Zip drive.

But that’s like..so yesterday. They’re still kinda big and inconvenient to carry around aren’t they? What if all you want to do is quickly transfer some files from your desktop computer to your laptop computer…or someone else’s?

Memory storage has come a long way in the last few years. The capacities have increased ten-fold, and the size of the chips that hold that data have shrunk incredibly. These cool flash drives have a number of excellent advantages:

• It’s no bigger than an eraser
• It stores a huge amount of data for its’ size
• It simply plugs into any USB port on anyone’s computer
• It takes less than a couple of minutes to transfer files
• It easily fits into your pocket…a few of them will, actually
• It has no moving parts
• It’s fairly inexpensive
• It’s boring and merely functional

No, wait…I didn’t really mean that last point. After all, it doesn’t have to be simply utilitarian, does it? In fact it was a design opportunity just waiting to be exploited. It may be one of the coolest gadgets of the 21st century, but ingenuity, creativity and frivolity knows no bounds...and has finally come together in the form of a whole slew of cool flash drives...

That's right, a number of clever people have just put the fun back into functional...

This skull and crossbones skallywag flash drive is so cool. It has a cap holder attached by a beaded chain so you won’t lose the cap while the flash drive is plugged in the USB port. The rubber casing makes for an easy grip too. It also comes in dark red, and black as well. Available in 4GB only. USB 1.1 and 2.0 compatible.

Saving those photos, music files, and everything else, need not be puzzling, with this cute puzzle piece flash drive. 2GB only.

Kingston is one of the most reliable names in memory devices around. This cool blue flash drive comes with an integrated metallic swivel cover instead of a removable cap. Other colors and capacities available as well. Really good price too.

Well, why not? Instead of having your fortune read, have your data read…and written.

This Penguin Flash Drive is part of the EMTEC "Animal" series, which also includes a Panda, Teddy Bear, Mouse and Panther. Similar features to the Scallywag flash drive above, including the chain and cap holder. It’s also available in 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB.

Yes, it’s real cork with a pseudo wine stamp printed on it. Includes a keychain strap.

Now this is a really cool flash drive. It’s an authentic British Mini Cooper, accurate in every detail, including transparent windows, the wheels rotate, and the headlights light up when it's plugged into the USB port! 4GB only.

Comes with a USB extension cable, in case your USB port is a little less accessible.

Lego-style building block flash drive. Comes in green, yellow, black, and blue as well.

Who says you can’t have your cake and read it too… The 2GB flash drive plugs into the cake when it’s not in use. This cool and deliciously detailed cake is quite reliable, as well as fun.

Ok, so you can’t eat the lollipop. It’s cute though isn’t it? It also comes in red, yellow, orange, and green. The lollipop swirl part is the cap, which attaches to the cap holder/chain, when it’s in use. 4GB and 8GB also available.

I don’t know if the lightbulb lights up when you plug it in…that'd be cool...

There's one way to find out...

Hey...I hope you had fun browsing these curious and cool usb drives. Who says form has to follow function?

Any of these cool flash drives would make a fantastic gift any time of the year. Go nuts!

This article ©2010 by +timorous